


Joan Bryant

by dramatic_audio



Category: The Bright Sessions (Podcast)
Genre: F/F, F/M, but i'm guessing you've listened to the podcast if you're reading this, let's see, new and improved, oh there is a bit of swearing, that's right folks, there is weird formatting involved, this is the new fic about joan bright, young! joan bright
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-27
Updated: 2017-06-27
Packaged: 2018-11-19 14:21:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 661
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11315205
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dramatic_audio/pseuds/dramatic_audio
Summary: Before she was a therapist, she was the most brilliant scientist at the A.M. And she wasn't always so cold and secretive.





	Joan Bryant

**Author's Note:**

> So if you read the first chapter when I did this and liked it, hey! This one looks shinier and cooler, and I actually have a plan (mostly).

weak. shaking. inhale.

Glass cage. Screaming eyes. Screaming lungs. He looks  
Mark?  
Oh my God.  
He looks  
Mark--  
Shit. This is where ??  
Mark...  
Don’t cry, don’t cry don’t cry don’t cry don’tcrygoddamn it!  
MARK

BANG 

The chair screeches, the tile echoes, he looks, well, fine, I guess, but honestly, predictable, but predictable is sometimes good, right? and the coffee is pretty good, and the conversation is nice, and maybe it’s something I could get used to? honestly, the only thing that really bothers me is that, well, his face, and mannerisms, just a bit boring, but intelligent, steady, honest, caring, and if I really crave excitement, there’s always her, she keeps me on my toes… and really, the steadier, more predictable, the less unpleasant surprises, and really, it’s nice to be cared about, and clearly he does, and maybe that’s really all we need? okay okay slow, slow, take the moments as they come, and the cup clinks against the table, and the smile is just so

exhale. quick.

 

“You don’t want me to tell them?”  
“I know you’re uncomfortable with keeping secrets, Joan, but you’re my best scientist. I need you at top performance in these next few days--”  
“Why don’t you tell them all? Then we can all be at top performance--”  
“The decisions I make regarding my department are not up for discussion, Dr. Bryant, is that clear..”  
“I--”  
BRYANT.  
they’re so--all the paranoia, secrecy, do you think you and i will end up like that?  
“I understand.”  
not if i can do anything about it.  
TRAITOR.

 

BANG  
eyes fly open

i’m sorry, i won’t touch you, if you can’t--listen, you don’t have to speak, i can just talk, okay, good, good. i owe you an apology. the experiment wasn’t designed to be damaging, i promise that we have only your best interests in mind, and we will do everything we can to fix this, i’ll talk to them, okay, look at me, please, i’m so sorry that this happened

>>that isn’t what they want to hear, dr bright. try again.

 

sterile, white

“Answer the damn question!”  
“Calm down.”  
“Why.”  
“This isn’t you talking.”  
“This is. For the first time.”  
“That’s not really true.”  
“God, you just evade. It’s what you always do, you and Owen both, and I am just so sick of it!”  
“We’re not talking about Owen!”  
“Answer the question, Director.”  
“You’re brilliant, Joan.”  
“And?”’  
“And what?”  
“So that’s it. I’m brilliant. That’s all--”  
“Of course not.”  
“What are you-- Ellie…”

 

fists curl--

 

\--bleeding crescent moons embedding, blood, sweat, palms

The lines in his face go taut when he’s angry, and she can see his jawbone clench even if he won’t turn to face her.  
The words that he hurls into her face would shatter a more human woman.  
“You can’t tell me how to live my life,  
if you won’t even tell me how you live yours.”  
And they do shatter her, but he’s disgusted that he can’t even tell.

sterile, clean, slate

“I'm just going to go, okay?”  
“Joan.”  
“What the fuck, Ellie, I have a boyfriend!”  
“Don’t leave, Joan.”  
“I-I have to go.”  
“I’m warning you, you leave this office--”  
“Goodbye, Director.”

white, white, white

BANG  
“I’m so scared for him…”  
“I understand.”  
“I’ve done everything. I did it all right, but it’s still--he’s still gone.”

BANG

“Christ, this is a disaster! What do you have to say for yourself?”  
“It was you?”  
“Listen, Joan…”  
“No. No. You just sat there…and listened… And after what you’ve done, you--you have the audacity to arrest me?” 

eyes closed

GOD DAMN IT

shift shift shift  
BLINK  
white flashes OW  
memories… damn.  
these walls… god god  
SLAM

 

“Come in.”  
It all settles in. It’s the same door. The same hallway.  
“Sit down, Joan.”  
The same person.  
Director Annabelle Wadsworth, in all her glory.  
“Please Joan, we might be here for awhile.”  
A smile twitches at her painted lips.  
“Much to discuss.”

**Author's Note:**

> "Why don't you do some weird formatting to make it feel like the weird movie scene in your head," she said to herself, before having to transfer it into AO3. Anyway. If you liked it, leave a comment, or kudos--I would appreciate it so much. I'm hoping to actually update this one. We'll see. I love Joan Bright a lot.


End file.
